We are excited to announce that we have added the Sway Balance System to the incredible lineup of concussion and brain health technologies available on all MAC Brain Health Carts. This medical-grade vestibular balance screening and monitoring tool joins our ImPACT® neurocognitive testing, Cambridge Brain Sciences® (CBS Health) cognitive assessments, EyeGuide® brain-health eye tracking and MAC Alliance’s secure telemedicine portal to provide MAC-Cart users a powerful, portable and affordable screening, baselining and monitoring tool.

What Is Sway Balance?

Sway Balance is an FDA-cleared Class II medical device developed by Sway Medical that can aid in concussion and TBI assessment. Balance screenings are administered through a phone or tablet app on location, and then a MAC Alliance concussion specialist uses the MAC-Cart telemedicine portal to provide prompt data interpretation and treatment next-steps. The Sway Balance device exam should be done in a controlled environment and on a flat, hard surface to ensure test repeatability.

Sway Balance, while not intended as a stand-alone diagnostic device, is an important component for the MAC-Cart assessments. “Sway contributes balance testing, EyeGuide offers ocular screening and ImPACT and CBS Health bring neurocognative exams. This combo is so powerful in the detection and monitoring of concussions and other TBIs,” says MAC-Cart developer and Mid-Atlantic Concussion Alliance Director Vincent Schaller, MD, DABFM, CIC, . “And all four technologies are part of the ever-expanding MAC-Cart brain health toolbox.”

How Common Are Balance Issues With Concussions?

According to the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC), a national center funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about half of people with TBI have dizziness and loss of balance at some point in their recovery. Other research has reported that somewhere between 30 and 65% of people with TBIs experience balance problems, which can happen even while sitting. The balance issues that may be experienced can include dizziness (feeling weak or woozy), vertigo (the sensation that you or your surroundings are moving) and unsteadiness. You may also feel faint or lightheaded. Balance issues can be especially dangerous for older people.

Why Do Balance Problems Result from TBIs?

Many factors can determine how bad post-brain-injury balance problems are. According to the MSKTC, these factors can include:

• How severely the brain was injured
• What part of the brain was injured
• What other injuries were sustained along with the TBI (e.g. neck or spine injuries, broken ribs or legs, etc.)
• Medications given that can effect balance

How Sway Balance Testing Works for Head Injury Patients